As I unleash more dark magic, waves of almost orgasmic energy surge through me. My body tingles, infused with an unstoppable force. However, a thunderous sound in the distance snaps my attention to the skies. The flapping of dozens of wings fills the night air—Sarrols are diving toward us. My heart tightens for Chepi, but he adeptly dodges and fends themoff. Yet the numbers are overwhelming—serpents, Monstrauths, and now Sarrols, all converging here in the desolate Cinder Territory.
Suddenly, I’m knocked to the ground as one of the flying demons crashes into me. I react instinctively, blasting it with my power, flipping over and leaping to my feet. But they’re relentless, attacking from all directions. A real fear pierces through me, the first genuine terror I’ve felt in this encounter. I consider opening my tether to Colton for backup, but I decide against it, determined to handle this myself.
Two Sarrols swoop down, knocking me to the ground again. Their talons dig painfully into my shoulders as I hiss in pain. The situation worsens as I hear Chepi yelp, seeing him slammed against a tree by another Sarrol. That’s the final straw. Closing my eyes, I surrender fully to the dark energy swirling within me.
For a moment, all I hear is the chaotic symphony of wings and collisions. Then in the next breath there’s utter silence. I unleash my magic in a cataclysmic burst, radiating outward in all directions, obliterating everything it touches. When I reopen my eyes and draw a breath, the scene before me is eerily calm. Not a single creature remains. Everything has been disintegrated into nothingness. The forest floor is clear, as if the ferocious battle never occurred.
Chepi, unharmed, scurries over and nuzzles against my leg. I scoop him up, stroking his head as I set my sights on finding the bunker.
“Let’s get out of here,” I murmur, sending out my magic until I finally feel a tug.
Once inside the bunker,I wash up as best I can then rifle through some of the boxes stored here until I find one of Nyx’s t-shirts. To my relief, it’s clean. After changing, I scavenge a bit more and come across a bag of nuts and some dried meat. I share some with Chepi before we both crawl into bed. Summoning my orb of light back into my palm, I let the room return to complete darkness.
Despite the day’s chaos, I feel safe here, a sense of ease settling over me. Tonight, I didn’t lose control of my dark magic. True, there was no one around to get hurt, but I managed to rein it back in, feeling entirely myself afterward—a definite win.
Chepi begins to snore softly beside me, and I can’t help but smile, relieved he can find sleep so quickly. The bed still carries the scent of Nyx, which stirs a complex mix of feelings within me. This very bed was where Nyx and I first had sex, and now, as I try to open myself to the possibility of bonding with him, marrying him, and letting go of Colton, I’m conflicted.
The darkness within me lingers beneath the surface, whispering temptations to claim them both as mine. I forcefully shake off the invasive thoughts. Using my dark magic always ignites a craving for more—more power, more pleasure, more of everything. It’s a voracious hunger, similar to what other dark Sorcerers must have succumbed to. There’s a perpetual dissatisfaction that festers within me, my shadows pulsing, eager for release.
A reckless part of me, buried deep, yearns to summon these men here and surrender to my desires right now. The very idea makes me blush—my magic seems to possess a will of its own, pushing against the boundaries of my restraint. I blow out a breath and push the temptations aside.
The echosphere hinted that Nyx might indeed be my fated mate. But as sleep begins to claim me, a persistent ache tugs atmy heart—an ache for Colton. Despite everything, my heart yearns for him, and this undeniable feeling lingers, a silent whisper in the back of my mind as I drift into sleep.
“Something’s here!”
A sharp shudder ripples through the earth beneath my feet. I’m on a stage, and Colton stands before me. His expression is eerily calm, stark against the chaos erupting around us. The ground quakes violently, threatening to tear everything apart. He grips my hands firmly but doesn’t move.
“What’s happening?” I cry out, panic rising in my voice. Colton only stares back, his eyes deep wells of silence. A pillar next to us fissures with a deafening crack, and I feel a dark, oppressive force pressing down on my chest. Darkness erupts from the fissure, swallowing the entire ceremony space in an impenetrable black void. My heart races. My breath quickens.
Frantically, I scan the darkness, but visibility is zero.Is this my bonding ceremony to Colton?The thought blurs with fear and confusion. He remains statue-like, an unmoving figure in the consuming shadow. Then the sensation changes—it’s no longer pressing on me. It’s pulling me downward. I gasp as Colton vanishes before my eyes, and the stage beneath me disappears. I’m falling, tumbling through nothingness, until suddenly my feet hit solid ground.
I whirl around and find myself standing before the gates—massive, imposing metal barriers entwined with thorn-laden branches. The atmosphere is thick with an eerie silence. I’m utterly alone, no sign of Colton or any familiar face. As I stand there, transfixed, the gates creak ominously, beginning to swing open on their own. The slow, grating screech ofmetal echoes through the silence, and I hold my breath, heart pounding in my chest.
I don’t dare move or breathe deeply as the gates open wider, inviting or perhaps beckoning me into the unknown beyond. The anticipation, the fear, it all melds into a moment suspended in time, when every possibility seems terrifying and inevitable.
“Lyra, wake up.”
The sudden sound of my name and the sensation of two strong arms shaking me jolt me from sleep. Gasping, I sit up, instinctively casting out my orb to flood the room with light as Nyx comes into view beside me on the bed. My eyes blink rapidly, struggling to adjust.
“Am I still dreaming?” I stammer, the line between reality and my nightmare blurring.
He chuckles softly. “No, Princess, you were having a nightmare, and I woke you. Are you alright?” His voice is gentle, concerned.
I search his face, still trying to anchor myself back in reality from the vivid terror of my dream. “What are you doing here?” I finally manage, my voice steadier.
“Did you really think you could enter my bunker and I wouldn’t feel your presence?” he says.
I glance around, realizing I hadn’t considered that. I’d blocked out Colton’s tether so he couldn’t locate me, but it hadn’t occurred to me to worry about Nyx finding me. “I guess I thought I could,” I admit, my voice heavy with exhaustion.
“Scoot over. It’s late. I’ll help you sleep,” he says casually, and without a second thought I make room for him. He kicks off his boots and slides into bed beside me. When I turn onto my side, he wraps his arms around me, pulling me close to his chest. This time, I don’t pull away or protest. Instead, I letmyself breathe in his familiar scent, finding an unexpected comfort in his embrace.
As I drift back to sleep, Nyx runs his fingers gently through my hair, his voice a soothing whisper in the darkness. “I’ve got you. I’ve always got you.” He wraps around me like a warm blanket, and I surrender to the feeling of safety, letting the remnants of my nightmare fade into the night.
Chapter 10
Lyra
I waketo the sound of steady breathing in my ear, and the realization hits me—last night wasn’t a dream. Nyx really did show up here and is still sleeping beside me. Carefully, I flip over to face him. His eyes snap open, and a slow smile curves his lips.
